


Yama

by imaginentertain



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, and Aaron has a choice to make, in which Death is an actual character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 23:21:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13669404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginentertain/pseuds/imaginentertain
Summary: "Where the hell am I?" Aaron asked, turning around to look back at where he'd come from.  He started as he saw a woman sitting on a bench by the side of the road – she and the bench hadn't been there when he'd passed.  "Who the hell are you?""This isn't anywhere," the woman said, getting to her feet.  The folds of her dress billowed out around her despite the absence of wind.  "Not really.""What's that supposed to mean?""This is…  Somewhere In Between I guess.""Between what?""Life and death," she replied.





	Yama

Aaron blinked.  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again but nothing had changed.  Or rather, they had changed and hadn't changed back.

 

"What the—?" he started, looking around him.

 

The road was deserted, not a single soul around.  He took a few cautious steps forward, his feet thumping lightly on the tarmac.  He broke into a run, trying to get… back?  Somewhere?  As his breath started coming in panicked gasps he realised something else.  He stopped.  Held his breath.

 

Nothing.

 

Silence.

 

He'd lived in the countryside for too long to be fooled by this: it was never silent like this, even in the depth of winter.

 

"Where the hell am I?" Aaron asked, turning around to look back at where he'd come from.  He started as he saw a woman sitting on a bench by the side of the road – she and the bench hadn't been there when he'd passed.  "Who the hell are you?"

 

"This isn't anywhere," the woman said, getting to her feet.  The folds of her dress billowed out around her despite the absence of wind.  "Not really."

 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 

"This is…  Somewhere In Between I guess."

 

"Between what?"

 

"Life and death," she replied.

 

* * *

 

 

Seb had been full of energy, the first week of his first summer holiday being unbearable for his dads as they tried to fill the gaps left by the absence of school.

 

("It's nursery," Aaron had muttered, "school doesn't start until September.

 

"Tell him that," Robert had said, pointing to where Seb was busy playing classroom with whatever books he could get his hands on.)

 

So as soon as the weather showed promise of something other than summer rain they'd packed up the car and headed off to the beach with the promise of sandcastles and swimming and paddling and exploring rock pools.

 

"What happened?" Aaron asked.

 

The woman moved to stand beside Aaron, looking down the road away from them.  The heat waves on the horizon seemed to show a beach rather than more of the surrounding fields.

 

"Seb wanted an ice cream—" Aaron started.

 

"Come on," the woman said, walking away without waiting to see if he was following.

 

Aaron fell into step beside her, trying to make his brain give up the images he somehow knew were key to this.

 

"Rob wasn't sure, kept going on about him ruining his dinner but—"

 

"Look," she said, pointing down the small incline at the side of the road.

 

Aaron started as he saw a car on its roof, smoke rising from the bonnet.  Almost immediately, instinctively, Aaron moved to help but the woman's hand was firm on his arm.  She wasn't strong by any stretch of the imagination but Aaron was held in place.

 

"You don't have time to save them both," she said.  "Pick one."

 

"What?" Aaron asked.

 

From the car he heard two voices, one unmistakeably a child.  Aaron pulled free and clambered down the bank as quickly and carefully as he could.

 

"Help him," the man in the front said.  "Please.  My son."

 

Aaron moved to look in the back, his heart sinking as he saw a boy of no more than ten still strapped in.  Despite all the blood rushing to his head the boy still looked somewhat pale.

 

"Hey," Aaron said gently.  "Give me a minute, I'll have you out."

 

"Dad?" the boy said.

 

"It's OK," his father replied.  "You'll be out soon."

 

"What about Dad?" the boy cried.  "You can't leave him."

 

"I won't, it's OK," Aaron said.  "You'll both be fine, promise."

 

"Liar," the woman on the road said.

 

Aaron had enough time to look in her direction before he felt a wall of heat rush against his skin as the car exploded—

 

 

 

 

 

 --and Aaron was standing on the road with the woman, looking at the car.

 

"I told you, you can only save one," she said.

 

"This isn't real," Aaron said.

 

"Obviously."

 

"Who are you?"

 

"Ask an easier one," she laughed.  "I have… way too many names and way too many forms to even know where to begin.  Although," she said, seemingly to herself, "I suppose we have all the time we need."

 

"Are you actually going to tell me what's going on?" Aaron snapped.

 

"Donn, Batara Kala, Nephthys, Mania, Yama…  Plain ol' Death but that's a bit boring if you ask me."

 

"You're… Death?"

 

"In a way," she said.  "It's the easiest way to describe it."

 

"So Death is… this?  You?"

 

"I'm so many things.  I thought this image would be preferable.  Have you decided?"

 

"About what?"

 

"Who you're going to save?"

 

Aaron looked at the car, the wisps of smoke.  "If you're Death then why this?  Is this some sort of test to see what afterlife I end up in?"

 

"What?  Oh, no," Death said.  "No, you're not dead, Aaron.  It's not you I'm here for."

 

From the car came the cries of the man and the boy and Aaron's heart sank.  "No.  No, you can't.  You can't take them."

 

"I told you, you can save one.  Thing is, Aaron, for all everyone thinks that there's some grand plan and that we're all knowing, sometimes it's not clear.  I know I'm here for one, I don't know who, and it was decided that you should choose."

 

"I should what?" Aaron spluttered  "You want me to choose?"

 

"Call it compensation," Death said.

 

" _How_ is this compensation?"

 

"I think The Boss is pretty fond of you," she shrugged.  "Doesn't often give people this chance."

 

"This isn't a chance, this is…  This is hell."

 

"It's really not," Death smirked.  "But I can see how you'd think that."

 

"Aren't you into deals?  All the stories…  Can I make a deal?"

 

"What?  Your life for the second one?" she said.  "Sorry, Aaron, but that's not on offer here.  You get to save one."

 

"And what if I refuse?" Aaron asked.  "You're asking me to choose between Robert and Seb and I can't do that.  I won't.  What happens then?"

 

Death extended an arm and pointed at the car.  Which then exploded.

 

"The choice isn't who dies, Aaron," she said sadly, "it's who lives."

 

"You said The Boss is giving me this choice?" Aaron asked.  "Why?  What did I do to deserve this?  And why now?  After everything that has happened to me.  I'm finally happy and God wants to, what?  Take that away from me after everything?"

 

"It's because of everything that you have the choice," Death said.  "God, as you say, doesn't put everything into motion despite what people think.  He just puts the players into position and things play out the way that they will play out.  He never planned for Gordon, Jackson, the self-harm.  It broke his heart to see you suffer.  Robert was supposed to make that better but, well, pieces in place.  Still, he got there in the end.  You both did."

 

"So he wants me to choose Robert?"

 

"He doesn't have a preference," Death said.  She pointed back to the embankment and the car that was back in place.  "Do you want to save Robert?"

 

"Daddy!" the boy in the car called.

 

"I can't," Aaron said.  "Seb…"

 

"So him then?  Seb?"

 

"It's what Robert would want me to do," Aaron said.  "Save his son."

 

"Hmmm," Death said.  "Well.  Go on then."

 

"Can I ask you something?  If I did… choose Seb…  What happens?"

 

"Robert dies."

 

"And after?  Will there be another… player?"

 

"You mean will you love again?"  When Aaron nodded she shook her head.  "Not in the same way.  Robert?  He's…  He's your person.  The one.  Whatever you want to call it.  The Boss made it so that he would be the perfect match for you.  You might be happy again, there could be other men if the players are in place, but they won't ever be like Robert."

 

"Think I already knew that," Aaron said quietly.

 

"Sorry."

 

"And I can't deal?"

 

"That's not how it works.  No deals."

 

"How about a bargain then?" Aaron said.

 

"Someone paid attention in history," Death smiled.  "A bargain I can do."

 

"One game," Aaron said.

 

"The stakes?  One life is forfeit, even I can't change that."

 

"My life for the other," Aaron said.  "If I win then they both live.  I don't."

 

"And if you lose then you live, they both die," Death said.  "Two lives and you lose them both.  Lose everything."

 

"I'll lose everything if you make me choose," Aaron said.  "How do I know if I can trust you?"

 

"I'm Death.  I don't lie.  I'm pretty much the only honest person you'll ever meet."

 

"So.  Do we have a bargain?"

 

Within the blink of an eye the road disappeared and they stood in The Woolpack.  It was deserted, the dart board open and ready for the match.

 

"I guess The Boss has decided to take you up on your offer," Death said, picking up one of the darts.  "This is the first bargain I've ever taken where if they win they die."

 

Aaron didn't say anything, just picked up his first dart and threw it at the board.  "You don't know much about love then."

 

"I know more about love than anyone," Death said.  "But it's not the same as understanding."

 

"You don't understand then," Aaron said, throwing his last dart.  He wrote his score on the board and walked back behind the line.

 

"Maybe not," she said, throwing a perfect triple 20.  "But I do know how to play."

 

Aaron's heart stuttered in his chest as he realised this might not be as easy or as simple as he'd hoped.

 

* * *

 

 "So how does it happen?" Aaron asked as he took his place on the line.  "I don't remember.  Last thing I remember is us going to get an ice cream."

 

"That is the last thing," Death said.  "I pulled you out at the last second."

 

"How are they going…  I mean, how can it…?"

 

"They're not the only one I'm here for," Death said.  "Right now a man is a second away from a brain aneurysm.  It'll be quick for him but he's behind the wheel of a car.  That car will swerve off the road and head straight for you."

 

"That's why they could both die," Aaron said.  "Rob's on the outside.  Seb's between us, he likes it when we swing him."

 

"You can pull Seb free, yell to Rob to move.  But you won't have time to save them both."

 

"So how will it work if I win?"

 

"My guess is that The Boss will swap you and Robert.  Push Seb out of the way and they will be fine."

 

"They will be, won't they?  Fine I mean?"

 

"I don't see the future, Aaron," Death said.  "Players, remember?  But just as Robert is your person you are his."

 

"But Seb will have his dad.  And Robert won't have to live with this choice."

 

Death sighed and nodded briefly.  "If you say so."

 

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 

"Just play," she said.

 

Aaron smiled and threw his final dart of the round.  "I believe that puts me in the lead," he says.

 

* * *

  

The lead didn't last.  As Aaron picked up his darts he sighed.  "Guess this is the final round."

 

"You can still get 20," Death said.  "Right throw and the game is yours."

 

"Mess it up and you will get 16 without even thinking about it," Aaron muttered, putting his toe to the line.

 

"You know that the games I play aren't considered by most people to be fair?  I'm perfect in terms of skill, sight, aim, the works."  She nudged Aaron out of position and looked up at the roof.  "This one doesn't count," she announced to the ceiling.  Then, without looking down, she threw the dart at the board.

 

"Double eight," Aaron said quietly.  "But you missed.  Some of your throws before... You missed.  Why?"

 

"Because I wanted you to have a chance.  And here it is. Right throw and your husband and your… Seb.  They live."

 

"My Seb?" Aaron asked, his brow creasing in confusion.

 

"You know why I wanted you to have a chance?  Because you are willing to give up yours.  A life filled with love and happiness, a life raising a beautiful boy.  Watching him grow into the man you both hope he will be.  Instead of having some form of life and love and happiness you're choosing to have none."

 

"Robert _and_ Seb are my life.  I love them."

 

"I know," Death smiled.  "So why don't you call Seb your son?"

 

"Because he's not."

 

"Really?"

 

"You know what I mean."

 

"And so do you," Death said.  "You don't feel like his dad.  I was wondering why not."

 

Aaron said nothing, taking his place on the line again.

 

"I think it's because this way you can't lose him.  If you and Robert split up again you know you'd be fine.  You know how to stop being a husband, you've done that already.  Badly, I might add, but you gave it a go.  But how would you stop being Seb's father?  You fight everyone who tries to say you're not his father, how tired you are of trying to explain to people how your family came about.  How much it hurt that Seb called you 'Ron' before he called you daddy.

 

"So this.  This bargain.  This is about you proving to yourself that you're his dad?"

 

Aaron shrugged.  "It's what dads do isn't it?  Real ones I mean.  They protect their kids."

 

"Yes they do."  Death looked over at the door as it swung open.  The father and son walked into the pub and stood by the bar.

 

"I would give up my life for my son," the father said.

 

"What kind of life would I have without my dad?" the boy said.

 

"Not all dads are good ones," Aaron said.

 

"But you are with me," the boy said.

 

Aaron turned to Death who just smiled.  "Oh come on.  You knew who they represented at the car.  It's your throw."

 

Aaron glanced at the bar but they'd gone and he was alone with Death.  Again.

 

"One dart each?" Aaron asked and Death nodded.

 

Turning back to the board he set two of his darts down, setting his sights on the top bar.  He let his thoughts fill of Robert and Seb, of mornings and evenings and days they had built their family around.  The tears and the tantrums, the fights and arguments.  And all of it was worth more than his life.

 

He threw.

 

* * *

 

 

"I'm so sorry."

 

* * *

 

Double five.  Halfway there and nowhere near enough.  Aaron screwed his eyes shut as tight as he could, not willing or able to watch what was about to happen.  He tried so hard for them, fought, bargained.  Offered up his life for them and it wasn't enough.  He wasn't enough and now he was going to lose them both.

 

There was the soft thud of a dart hitting the board and then the screech of tyres.  Aaron's eyes opened and he seemed to be staring down the car that was pulling off the road and onto the boardwalk.  This was it.  The moment he lost them.

 

Seb's hand in his left seemed to tighten and—

 

Left?

 

But Seb was on his right before.  Before.

 

In the time of a breath he managed to react, pushing Seb onto Robert as he jumped out of the car's path.  He fell, ungainly and uncaring, onto the pavement as Seb wailed in Robert's arm, crying for his dad and then his daddy and Aaron, in shock and breathless, was pulled into Robert's arms and held tighter than he felt he deserved.

 

* * *

  

Seb wouldn't stop shaking and crying and Aaron couldn't say anything and so once the paramedics had checked them over they were ushered to a nearby medical centre to be properly assessed.  Seb had climbed into Aaron's lap and was refusing to let go, something that Aaron was more than happy to go along with.

 

_This doesn't make sense.  This shouldn't be happening.  This wasn't the deal._

 

"Hey," Robert said softly, putting his hand on Aaron's knee.  "It's OK.  You're OK."

 

"Yes, you are," the doctor said as she walked into the room.  "Few scraps, bit of shock, but you're going to be just fine."  She bent over so she was level with Seb.  "Hi," she smiled, "I'm Doctor Yama.  I've got some lollipops if you'd like one?"

 

"Can Daddy have one too?"

 

"Sure," she smiled.  She stood up and looked at Aaron who was staring at her in horror.  "It's OK, Aaron," she said quietly, shaking her head in reassurance as his arms tightened around Seb.  "I'm not here for either of them.  Not anymore.  You're fine, he's fine."

 

"But—"

 

"I promise.  Can't lie, remember?"

 

"But…  I don't understand.  I lost.  This wasn't the bargain."

 

"Someone up there must think you're owed," she smiled.  "Besides, despite the odds you still took me on.  For all the stories many people don't.  They try to make a deal when they realise they will lose, bargain me down.  Even when you realised it was hopeless you still played, still threw the dart."

 

"He doesn't give up," Robert said, his face betraying that he didn't fully understand the conversation that he was now a part of.  "Not when it matters to him, nothing will stop him."

 

"He won't remember, don't worry," Death said.  "You will but they won't."

 

"Daddy is strong," Seb said, settling further into Aaron's arms.

 

"Well good," Death said.  "That will serve him well in the long and happy life you have ahead of you with your husband and your kids."

 

"Kid," Robert corrected, half-dreamily.

 

Aaron's eyes widened a little as he caught Death's gaze.  "What happened to the players?"

 

"Some are lined up already," she said.  "Just make sure you take the opportunity."

 

"I will."

 

"Good."  She produced a lollipop from a pocket and handed it to Seb.

 

As she turned to leave Aaron couldn't help but call out.  "Promise me," he said.  "This isn't some trick or dream."

 

"This is real," she promised him.  "You won."

 

"How?  I threw a double five."

 

"So did I," she said.  "Picked up your dart, didn't I?  Your dart, your score.  Twenty to win the game."  As she opened the door she turned back and smiled.  "I'll see you, Aaron, you and Robert.  In a very, very long time.  Go live, OK?"

 

"OK," Aaron said, his lips brushing the top of Seb's head.  "Thank you."

 

"For what?" Robert asked as they were suddenly alone in the room.

 

"For everything," Aaron said.  "Don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

 

"Don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Robert whispered.

 

"Can we go home?" Seb asked.

 

"Sure we can," Aaron said.  "Come on, kiddo."

**Author's Note:**

> Come play on Tumblr. I'm beautifulhigh


End file.
